Washington, DC — On Friday, Invest in Our Land (IIOL), a nonpartisan organization committed to amplifying the voices of American farmers and ranchers and ensuring they have the tools and support they need to implement conservation practices that strengthen their operations, safeguard our natural resources, and secure the future of U.S. agriculture, issued the following statement in response to the release of Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, proposed bill text for reauthorization of the Farm Bill:
“Invest in Our Land appreciates Chairman Thompson’s efforts to pass a Farm Bill that includes robust support and reforms for federal conservation programs, strengthens access to precision agriculture tools, and reauthorizes the Conservation Reserve Program,” said IIOL Executive Director Rebecca Bartels. “However, funding and policy improvements alone are not enough when NRCS capacity has been hollowed out over the past year, with 22 percent of its staff – equal to 2,673 employees – leaving the agency in just the first half of 2025. Without sufficient NRCS staff, programs and payments stall, contracts go unimplemented, and farmers are left carrying these consequences alone. As Congress works to get this Farm Bill across the finish line, we urge Members to give producers the certainty they need by protecting both conservation funding and the NRCS workforce required to deliver it to farmers on the ground.”
About Invest in Our Land
Invest in Our Land is an organization that elevates the voices of farmers across the country to underscore the importance of safeguarding the future of U.S. farms. The organization is sharing the success stories of farmers and ranchers from across the U.S. to raise awareness about the need to protect federal conservation funding and ensure its delivery to American producers. You can learn more at Investinourland.org.
